AAAAAAAAARGGGHHHHH!! What am I doing wrong? My pityful attempts at bread
making yield something like magnum size bread sticks. Bread doesn't seem
to rise much if anything at all. I have made some pretty decent Italian
style bread but upon turning to the main recipe and instructions from
"Best Bread Ever" I've baked some awful stuff. I've followed the
instructions meticulously as far as I can tell, use an instant
thermometer, used a Cuisinart Marchine to mix, used Instant Yeast
(RedStar) still within the dates printed on the package, etc.
The bread just sits there without rising and bakes into baguettes that are
about an inch and a half in diameter and hard as rocks. I let a batch
rise an additional half hour yesterday and with no different results. I
keep the yeast and the flour in the refrigerator. True enough both have
been in the refrigerator for about six months. Is that a problem?